Improvement in steamboat smoke-stacks



UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

ALANSON L. ROUZE, BENJAMIN A. LEDFORD, AND JOHN OBRIEN, OF DENVER,COLORADO; SAID OBRIEN ASSIGNOR TO SAID LEDFORD.

IMPROVEMENT IN STEAMBOAT SMOKE-STACKS.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 191,614, dated June 5,1877 application led April 12, 1877.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that we, ALANsoN L. RoUzE, BENJAMIN A. LEDFORD, and J OHNOBRIEN, all of Denver, in the county of Arapahoe, and State of Colorado,have invented certain Irn provements in Steamboat Smoke-Stacks, of whichthe following is a full, clear, and exact description, reference beinghad to the accompanying drawing and the letters of reference markedthereon, making part of this specification, in which-5 Figure lis afront elevation. Fig. 2 is a vertical sectional view of our smoke-stack.Fig. 3 is a cross-sectional view on the line fr Fig. 2.

Our invention relates to that class of smokestacks for steamboats thatply upon rivers whose bridges are not provided with drawers, andconsequently the smokestack has to be lowered when passing the same.

Our invention, therefore, consists in telefscoping the upper or movableportion ot the smoke-stack in the lower or stationary section, raisingand lowering the same by means ot chains and pulleys, and at the sametime proriding the upper portion with grooves designed to keep thehoisting and lowering chains in place when being operated, all ashereinafter more fully described.

The construction and operation of our invention are as follows:

A is the deck of the steamboat. B is the lower or stationary portion ofthe smoke-stack. From the upper section of the portion B, and at equaldistances apart, are secured, by staples b2 b2, four link-chains, B B.These linkchains extend to the deck, being fastened to the same by meansof staples b1 b1, and are designed to keep the lower or principalportion ot' the smoke-stack in position. These linkchains are alsoprovided with turn-buckles b b, so that they may be tightened orloosened, as occasion requires, without twisting the links of the chain.At the front and rear of the upper section of the stationary portion Bof the smoke-stack, and midway between the staples b2 b2, are cut holesor orifices b3 b3, while immediately below said holes are secured to theoutside of the portion B slotted ears b*1 b4, having pivoted therein thesheaves or pulleys b5 b5. Over these sheaves b5 b5, and through theholes b3 b3, pass the hoisting and lowering chains C O. One end of thesechains is secured to the lower section of the upper or movable portion Bof the smoke-stack, the other end being secured to a hook, c, attachedto the pulley-block C1. This pulley-block O1 is attached, by means of acord or rope, a, to another pulley-block, U2, which is fastened to thedeck A. D is the upper or movable portion of the smoke-stack. In thefront and rear ot' this portion D is cut a groove,D, as shown in Fig. 3,which extends the entire length of the portion D and registers with theholes b3 b3. When the portion D is telescoped in the portion B thechains C C rest in these grooves D D', and are thus not liable toprevent the free movement ofthe upper portion D. To the upper section ofthis portion D is secured one end ot' the guidechains E E. The otherends of these chains are secured to the staples b1 b1. These guidechainsE E are also provided with turn-buckles e e, and become tightened as themovable portion D is extended or raised.

The operation is as follows: When it is desired to lower the portion Dto enable the boat to pass obstructions, such as bridges, the cord orrope a which connects the pulley-block C1 C2 is loosened and payed out.This, through the medium of the chains C C, allows the portion D to betelescoped into the portion B, its weight being sufcient to cause it tofall. To raise the same, the corda is tightened, and the pulley-blocks CU2 thus drawn together.

What we claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent of theUnited States, is-

In a steamboat smoke-stack,the stationary section B, movable section Dprovided with `grooves D D', chains (l C, sheaves b5 b5, vpul- ALANSONL. ROUZE. BENJAMIN A. LEDFORD.

h. JOHN XISOBRIEN.

mark. Witnesses:

WILLIAM D. TODD, EGBEET HINMAN.

